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CHRIS FIGUREIDA: RIDING ACROSS IDAHO
Chris Figureida
October 16, 2008
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September 19th
I had a late start this morning, but that is becoming more and more common for me. As I become more and more fatigued, my body needs more rest and I feel generally lethargic. Unfortunately, I had my first long climb today. After 24 miles and 2 and half hours of climbing, I made to the summit at 4193 feet. After the summit I rocked down hill for 15 miles, reaching a top speed of 43.4 miles per hour. For a video of me riding toward the start of the climb, click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb0gzrGxGv8
I rode into La Grande Oregon at 6 in the afternoon. It was windy and there was a bit of light rain scattered around. Only a few minutes into the city and a spoke snapped in the worst place - on the rear tire next to the cassette (the gears). I bent the spoke out of the way continued to look for a place to camp, but within 2 blocks there was bike shop with the owner standing in the doorway about to turn the key and go home. I rode over and without saying a word to him he took one look at me and said "come on in". After breaking a tool and spending 20 minutes, we were able to remove the cassette, and change the spoke.
That night the local fire department let me pitch the tent on their lawn. And under a light rain, I made dinner. To see a video of me cooking in the tent click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bDlfQv4tSk
I rode 79.1 miles in 5 hours and 16 minutes with 4561 feet of climbing.
September 20th
It was really cold this morning. The rain had stopped but I knew that it was only a matter of time before it started again. With all the climbing from the previous day and the bitter cold, my legs felt like stacks of bricks. For a video of the ride in the morning, click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89AiAmZFuOI
The rain rolled back over land and drenched me for over 40 miles. It's my first day of riding in the rain and I made it nearly two weeks without any bad weather, so I really could not complain. But it's never easy when everything starts to get wet. The bags, the bike, and myself become saturated and after awhile I'm carrying a lot of extra weight in water. Also the rain washes the sweat out of my helmet and into my eyes and mouth.
With all the rain, I didn't take any breaks and rode fairly fast. I got to within 15 miles of my destination by 1pm and decided to stop in a McDonalds for about 4 hours and try to wait out the storm. I figured that if I have to wait somewhere, that a warm McDonalds with WiFi is a lot better then sitting on the ground inside my tent.
I went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. I hadn't had a shower n 2 days and it had been about a week since I last shaved. I looked at face and my ragged beard. The bits of dried salt sprinkled through the hairs reminded me of something out of Death Valley. While sitting in McDonalds, people were always asking about what I'm doing. And I pause and think how crazy it must sound when I tell people that I'm on my 3rd long distance cycling trip.
My gamble paid off and after 5 hours the storm had started to pass and the rain the easing up. I rode for 20 more miles and finally found a flat, out of the way spot to camp. But it was below an over pass, between the rail line, a road, and cow pasture. Needless to say it was very noisy and the cows wouldn't go away. That night the freeway roared overhead and the trains would make the ground shake as they slammed on their brakes and screamed every time they went by.
Another cold night in Idaho
Everything got wet as I was setting up in the rain. I made dinner in my cycling clothing, hoping that it would dry off with my body heat but mostly I was just cold and miserable. I crawled into the sleeping bag with all the wet clothing and shivered until my body heat could warm everything up
I rode 61.6 miles in 4 hours and 41 minutes, with 2036 feet of climbing.
September 21st
It was so hard to wake up this morning. Between the trains, the rain, and the cold, I didn't get much sleep and nothing really dried off - my clothing was warm but still damp. It took me 2 hours to get packed up and start riding. Multiple times I just sat there in the tent, staring at the wall, not wanting to do anything.
I'm riding right along the Oregon Wagon Trail, and pass by all kind of historic places. Some of the most interesting are the old cemeteries. Reading the tombstones of people who scarified everything to come west, traveling along a route that I now do as a bike ride. I feel that I’m only getting a very small taste of what those early pioneers had gone through to travel across this land, dealing with the weather and the harsh landscape.
I came to the Snake River and rode up stream along it’s banks for most of the day. It was beautiful to see all the birds and green trees in what is otherwise a brown and dry land. As I approached Ontario Oregon the clouds cleared way and it was easy riding towards town. But with 15 miles to go, noticed I had a slow leak in my front tire. I figured if I rode as fast as I could I should be able to make it in to the city before the tire went flat and beat the setting sun.
Then as if someone had kicked me in the stomach, I had a terrible pain and need to find a bathroom FAST! But the pain was too much to stand up and ride hard, but I knew that my tire was going flat. For nearly 10 miles I begged for a gas station or restaurant to appear on the horizon. After 15 miles I came up to the freeway overpass that was under construction. I passed by a portable toilet thinking that I didn’t want to trespass and that nicer facilities might be nearer. But the knot in my stomach twisted harder and I spun the handle bars right around and headed for that toilet. When I got close enough I jumped off the bike, and walking like I had just sat on a cactus, made it through the plastic door.
I camped out at the local fire station. I rode 62.8 miles in 4 hours and 20 minutes with 1527 feet of climbing.
September 22nd
Someone at the fire station forgot to pass along the message and two police officers woke me up this morning. Everything was figured out but, it was not exactly easy to explain. Otherwise it was cold this morning and I headed to the McDonalds to stay warm and wait for the bike shop across the street to open up.
I crossed into Idaho and had a fast ride with the wind as I pedaled into Boise. My host, Lacy and her two wonderful children were ready and waiting as I coasted up the driveway.
I rode 62.2 miles in 4 hours with 999 feet of climbing.
September 23rd
Rode over to the Boise Metro Rotary Club for their lunch meeting. Unfortunately they already had a very interesting presenter for the day but gave me 5 minutes to speak and share what I was doing.
But as soon as lunch was over, I headed across town to Taft Elementary School. My host had asked her daughters 1st grade teacher if I could stop by and give a quick presentation to the class. It went off without a hitch and after not having a school presentation in Portland, it felt good to be back in front of a class.
That night, Lacy invited a few friends over and had a small barbeque in my honor.
September 24th
I had a very late start, after a tour of Boise with Lacy. We went to the Capitol and drove around downtown. Then went to Albertsons park. Yes the very same Albertsons grocery store. The founder of the store built an amazing botanical gardens in honor of his wife. With thousands of colors from the flowers and curving pathways around granite boulders and serene lakes; it is a must see for anyone visiting Boise.
A "perfect" spot for camping
With the wind to my back, and riding until the sunset, I found a freeway overpass, and camped right next to the train tracks going underneath it. I don’t like camping in the middle of nowhere but I guess that's why I force myself to do it. I want to be comfortable and experienced at being able to camp anywhere.
It's warm, during the days. Lower 80s, but in the 50s in the morning. Fall is here and everything is brown and ugly. I made it 56.4 miles in 4 hours and climbed 1392 feet.
September 25th
It took me forever to wake up. All night with each passing train, there was an incomprehensible sound of piercing brakes - steel on steel; the roar of giant diesel motors, and the earthquake like vibration from loaded freight cars. For a midnight video, click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW-Vndv-7wQ
I finally found the "middle of nowhere" and it was everything that I expected - ugly brown and dried out weeds, stretching for as far as my eye could see. Interesting, in this land of nothing. I happen to come up on two other people. And who else would be found wondering through this part of the world, but other touring cyclist. These two guys were from New York. And very close to reaching Portland. Like every other touring cyclist, they were very impressed with my lightweight set up and minimal gear. To see what the middle of nowhere looks like, click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDVodinen04
The air is very dry - 8 to 9 percent humidity. The lungs and throat hurt from drying out like the passing tumbleweed. Even my lips crack in a matter of minutes. I'm coughing when I struggle up hill. My body being vacuumed sucked dry of every bit of moisture.
A view of the golf course at the bottom of the Snake River Gorge
Rode into Twin Falls Idaho, and over the Snake River Gorge. Largest and tallest bridge of it's type spanning the gorge, I guess a lot of base jumpers and bungee jumpers launch themselves off this man made steel giant and into one of mother natures most beautiful creations. In the bottom of the gorge there is one of the most beautiful golf courses I have ever seen. To see what I was seeing, click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0xoBMaiiUk
My hosts were Melissa and Nate - proud of Idaho potatoes and local trout. Their three cool cats kept me entertained, and after dinner we went out for ice cream at Cold Stone. I was impressed with Melissa’s thirst for travel and desire to learn about other cultures. I can’t think of a better way to learn tolerance and broaden one's mind. Mark Twain put it best when he said "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts."
I rode 82.4 miles in 5 hours and 14 minutes, with 1947 feet of climbing.
September 26th
Today was flat and easy day heading due east. It was 68 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. I've been lucky with the weather so far? Topping out at 4558 feet, I can start to feel the burn in my legs from lack of oxygen, even on short hills.
Going through some very small towns and stopping in local restaurants; one in particular, the kid who took my order asked to see m ID when I paid with a credit card. Well I travel with my passport and this kid had never seen one before. I looked at him and said "you can't see the world without one" and on his face, you could see the spark of realization.
I also stop in local grocery stores, wearing all my spandex, but it's the Defeet shoe covers that really puzzle people. For the most part I just try to ignore the dirty looks and the impolite manner of those who I come in contact with. I'm not sure what it is about touring cyclist and the middle part of this country. Generally, people on the coast don't even notice me, and I don't think that's because I'm a usual sight, I think it's because they are just too into themselves - I can tell by their driving habits; they never see me. But in the middle of this country people see me, and have absolutely no clue as to what I am doing. I've had people ask me if I was a swimmer, scuba diver, or track sprinter. Most of the time I get strange or demeaning looks. Is it because they don't understand me, or because every indecent detail of my body is outlined in my spandex, or is it because I am a stranger rolling through town like any other transient?
The Friendliest insect in the state of Idaho
Lots of bugs - little black ones, the size of a pinhead with clear wings twice the size of their body. They kind of look like flying bowling balls. They get stuck in my teeth, sunscreen, and lip-gloss. By the end of the day I look like I have a ton of new black freckles.
The road I was on came right up against the freeway and to a rest stop. There was a break in the fence and I was able to camp there for the night - with all the trucks and other cars driving by. To see what I ate for dinner, click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSOlfzceHGc
I rode 66.9 miles in 4 hours and 23 minutes with 1417 feet of climbing to a new high of 4558 feet above sea level.
Chris
www.cycleforheart.org
www.youtube.com/cycleforheart
www.cafepress.com/cycleforheart
www.myspace.com/cycleforheart
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